Main menu

Post navigation

America in Literature II

There is a plethora of great American literature, I could not create a list of less than 20. However, I focused less on the popularity of a novel/author and more on a variety and depth of “American ” (U.S.) content/concepts and ideas/ideals etc. Literature that focuses on the history, growth, and culture of our nation.
So, I was able to narrow it down…

Here continues my list of quintessential American literary works:

PART II of IIThe Things They Carried

by Tim O’Brien
A classic, life-changing meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling

Gone With the Windby Margaret MitchellWidely considered The Great American Novel, and often remembered for its epic film version, Gone With the Wind explores the depth of human passions with an intensity as bold as its setting in the red hills of Georgia. A superb piece of storytelling, it vividly depicts the drama of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Rated 4.6 on amazon.comThe Catcher in the RyeBy J.D. SalingerA controversial novel originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage angst and alienation.Wikipedia

To Kill a MockingbirdBy Harper Lee
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

By Melville
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is a novel by American writer Herman Melville, published in 1851 during the period of the American Renaissance.
Rated 4.7 on amazon.com

The Crucible
By Arthur Miller
Based on historical people and real events, Arthur Miller’s play uses the destructive power of socially sanctioned violence unleashed by the rumors of witchcraft as a powerful parable about McCarthyism.

Civil DisobedienceHenry David Thoreau
An essay by American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau that was first published in 1849. In it, Thoreau argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that they have a duty to avoid allowing such acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice. Thoreau was motivated in part by his disgust with slavery and the Mexican–American War.

Of Mice and Men
By John Steinbeck
Published in 1937, it tells the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States.
Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

The Sound and The FuryBy William FaulknerThe tragedy of the Compson family, featuring some of the most memorable characters in literature: beautiful, rebellious Caddy; the manchild Benjy; haunted, neurotic Quentin; Jason, the brutal cynic; and Dilsey, their black servant. Their lives fragmented and harrowed by history and legacy, the character’s voices and actions mesh to create what is arguably Faulkner’s masterpiece and one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century.

11 thoughts on “America in Literature II”

Thank you for this great list of books, Aaaah, I see you have Moby Dick, on your list. I’ll attach a song written by my dear friend Terry Fielding back in 1971. His song was directly inspired by Melville’s book. “The Whale”

A massive topic. I’m waiting for Emerson, Roth, Updike, Pynchon, DeLillo, Ford, Coover, Stein, Cather, Wharton …. You’ll be at this for years! I’m on board with all your nominations, some more than others, but that’s the fun of it. I’m delighted to see “The Things They Carried” here. Carry on!

I love to read, write, and drink coffee. They are the bread and butter of my soul. I really enjoy discussing books, poetry, and the like. Another huge passion of mine is dancing, and for fun I am an avid volleyball player. I live in the NW and I am a hybrid city/country lover. I enjoy spending time hiking through our beautiful Oregon forests, and riding horses at the family farm. I also equally enjoy strolling the downtown waterfront with a latte, gazing the city lights, and/or sipping a Café con leche at my favorite Cuban eatery.
Contact me if you would like me to review any products related to: Books, Poetry, and/or Coffee!

Molly's Real Estate Adventure:

legopixelmon

Diancie is the mythical jewel pokemon and is a rock fairy. Also Diance is the princess off the Carbinks . Diancie’s whole purpose of being a pokemon is to recreate the diamond that supports all of the carbinks. Diance can instantly create many diamonds by compressing air between its hands.

Of A Life Less Ordinary

Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge, who is celebrated in today’s Google doodle, was the discoverer of caffeine and the first person to isolate quinine, but his contribution to chemistry is often overlooked. Check out this Article by Sam Wong and learn all about the Godfather of Caffeine. While sipping away at your various Café delicacies today, tip […]